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deaddivine's reviews
42 reviews
Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Karen Russell is an excellent writer, her writing style is so evocative and vivid. The stories themselves were incredibly compelling, I just really wanted more and more of each story. It's hard to choose a favourite, I felt very strongly towards almost all of them with only Antarctic tailgating feeling quite uninteresting, and frankly quite pointless. I genuinely love these stories, they're super creative and tap into otherworldly yet incredibly human experiences many endure.
The Sacred Sins of Father Black by St John Starling
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
No Exit and Three Other Plays by Jean-Paul Sartre
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Sarah Kane: Complete Plays by Sarah Kane
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I really enjoy historical/mythological retellings so I was super excited for this and it definitely didnt disappoint. I have no idea how accurate it is but I think regardless it's become one of my favourites.
The writing is brilliant and it made me feel so strongly towards both the main characters. Everything is so visceral, it doesn't shy away from violence and cruelty, in fact both Zhu and Ouyang revel in it, their own wants and desires burn so brightly it chars everyone around them. You can't help but root for both characters even though they are both selfish, ruthless people acting only in their best interests. Zhu is so desperate to achieve greatness she abandons her identity to claim her brother's fate and will do anything to achieve it, and Ouyang who's hatred and need for revenge overcomes any loyalty and feelings towards those he loves. It is so compelling and so well written that you can't stop reading. Neither are good people but you want them to succeed because everyone else in this world is also cruel and selfish.
Zhu and Ouyang have complicated relationships to their gender and bodies, the rage and confusion they feel, as well as others perception of them hit very close to home as a trans person. And they both feel queer love towards other characters and it is so well written and feels so natural to the story, neither shoved down your throat, nor an afterthought, simply another facet to these complicated characters. Having amoral queer characters that want and desire greatness in a world that doesn't want them makes this story so unique and moving.
The fantasy elements are also so brilliantly interwoven into the story, the mandate of heaven being a literal power and Zhu's ability to see ghosts is well done and doesn't feel out of place in the story that is rooted in gritty reality.
The political conflict, the scheming, the battles, as well as the personal feelings and relationships all come together to create an epic and incredibly emotional story. It is an intense and addicting read that I highly recommend. I cannot wait to read the next book when it comes out in a few days!
The writing is brilliant and it made me feel so strongly towards both the main characters. Everything is so visceral, it doesn't shy away from violence and cruelty, in fact both Zhu and Ouyang revel in it, their own wants and desires burn so brightly it chars everyone around them. You can't help but root for both characters even though they are both selfish, ruthless people acting only in their best interests. Zhu is so desperate to achieve greatness she abandons her identity to claim her brother's fate and will do anything to achieve it, and Ouyang who's hatred and need for revenge overcomes any loyalty and feelings towards those he loves. It is so compelling and so well written that you can't stop reading. Neither are good people but you want them to succeed because everyone else in this world is also cruel and selfish.
Zhu and Ouyang have complicated relationships to their gender and bodies, the rage and confusion they feel, as well as others perception of them hit very close to home as a trans person. And they both feel queer love towards other characters and it is so well written and feels so natural to the story, neither shoved down your throat, nor an afterthought, simply another facet to these complicated characters. Having amoral queer characters that want and desire greatness in a world that doesn't want them makes this story so unique and moving.
The fantasy elements are also so brilliantly interwoven into the story, the mandate of heaven being a literal power and Zhu's ability to see ghosts is well done and doesn't feel out of place in the story that is rooted in gritty reality.
The political conflict, the scheming, the battles, as well as the personal feelings and relationships all come together to create an epic and incredibly emotional story. It is an intense and addicting read that I highly recommend. I cannot wait to read the next book when it comes out in a few days!
The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Although well written and absolutely horrific, I think it could benefit from being longer, mainly the end passage about Johanes's experiences, more details and action would've really helped. I tend to struggle reading classics but for the most part it was an easy read, the short length helped me take my time and enjoy the story and writing. Unfortunately the racism is pretty off-putting, Lovecraft is notoriously racist and the constant name calling really took me out of the story. I know reading Lovecraft racism is inevitable but I wasn't prepared for it. However it is a very good story and I look forward to reading more of his works.